Key-ring



(No Model.)

G. W. JOPSON.

KEY RING.

No. 320,792. Patented June 23, 1885.

, IN N T E1 F\ 4M2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE w. JOPSON, OFVMEBIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

KEY-RING.

$PECIZEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,792, dated June 23, 1885.

Application filed December 1, 1884. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. J OPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Rings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a. part of this specification.

This invention relates to key-rings, and has for its object to provide a simple secure fastening for the adjacent ends of the metal holder.

The invention consists in certain novel constru ctions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my ring closed. Fig. 2 is a view of the ring opened. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the ring with the fasteningtube removed. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the ring on line :0 m, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar sectional View representing a modification; and Fig. 6 represents a modification, all of which will be described and claimed.

The ring proper, A, may be of any desired shape, and has its ends B O separated, and preferably set slightly apart, as shown, so as to readily admit a key; or the ends could be separated and abutted together, so that a key could be placed on or removed by bending the ends laterally apart.

On the end B is placed a sleeve, D, which is movable longitudinally, so that one end may be set over the space between ends B 0, so as to lock the ring. An object of this invention is to provide means for holding the sleeve in its locked position. This may be attained by the construction shown in Fig. 3, which consists in forming the end B of the ring with a slit, B, and spreading the arms thus formed laterally, so as to give them a tension apart. By this tension the arms will bear against the inner side of the sleeve, and will hold thelatter at any point to which it may be moved, and so prevent its slipping out of locked position in the pocket.

Another means for retaining the sleeve in position is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, which consists in providing the sleeve D with a spur or projection, D, which is extended into the slit B, and may move longitudinally therein. This spur D may be formed by swaging or punching in a portion of the metal of the sleeve, as shown in Fig. 4, which is the preferable manner of providing it; or the spur may be made separate from and secured to the sleeve, as is shown in Fig. 5. In the use of this construction it is not necessary to cut the slit entirely through the end B, but it need only be formed sufficiently deep to provide a groove for the spur D, though, for convenience in manufacture, it is preferred to cut the slit entirely through the end B.

In the operation of this construction the sleeve, when unlocked, will be in the position shown in Fig. 2, or in the posit-ion attained by a halfrevolution of the sleeve from that shown. when the sleeve is so placed, the keys may be placed on or removed from the ring. To lock the ring, the sleeve is adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 1, by moving it longitudinally over the joint between the ends, and by turning it, with spur 1), between the ends until such spur is out of register with the groove or slit B.

While this construction gives good results, I prefer in connection with it to flare the arms formed by slit B outward, so as to give a tension thereto, which, bearing against the inner side of the sleeve, will prevent the said sleeve from turning while in the pocket, and by any possibility its spur becoming registered with slit B when such register is not desired.

While it is preferred to form the slit or groove from the extremity of end B, it is manifest that the construction shown in Fig. 6 could be employed without departing from the broad principles of my invention.

In this construction the slit B is formed back from the extremity of end B, and intersects at its end nearest such extremity a circumferential groove or slit, E, which may extend in one or both directions, and be formed entirelyor only partially around the end B, as desired by the maker.

The operation of the construction shown in Fig. 5 is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that the spur D moves into slit E when the ring is locked, instead of between the ends B and (1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A key-ring consisting of the ring proper, having its ends separated, and provided in one of said ends with a longitudinal slit, and a sleeve placed on the ring proper, and adjustable across the space between its ends, and provided with a projection fitted to the slit of the ring, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a key-ring, of the ring proper, having its ends separated, and r 5 provided in one end with a slit dividing said end into arms, which are given an outward tension, the sleeve placed on said slitted end, and provided with an inward projection fitted to the slit in the ring, substantially as set forth. 20

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE XV. JOPSON.

XVitnesses:

HENRY DRYHURsT, JOHN E. DURAND. 

